Grabsticks for picking up litter as used by personnel on public grounds such as state parks and the like should be capable of picking up a wide range of litter as for example jars and cans which represent rather large articles and ranging down to very small objects such as matches and the like. These devices should also be of lightweight construction and should require a minimum of physical effort on the part of the user firmly to grip the object being picked up and should otherwise be convenient to use and of effective and efficient operation.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore of primary concern in connection with the present invention to provide an improved type of grab stick which is of light weight, is fully effective to pick up a wide range of litter and which incorporates a pistol grip type of action which makes the device easy to operate and to manipulate.
Essentially, the present invention incorporates a grab stick in which a support column is provided with a pistol grip type of member at its upper end and a trigger-like pull rod assembly which is characterized by its ease of action and firm gripping mechanical connection to the swing leg of the grab stick. The grab stick incorporates a channel-shaped support column in which the lower end of the column is flattened to provide a gripping jaw portion of large surface area. The swing leg is attached to the support column on the side opposite to the pistol grip and likewise is of channel configuration flattened at its end to provide the cooperative gripper jaw portion. A control link member is pivotally connected to the support column and has triangularly related pivotal connections respectively to the trigger pull rod, the support column and to a pull rod which projects through the support column into pivotal connection with the swing leg. The arrangement is detailed in design such that a spring acting between the support column and the control link member normally positions the swing leg in wide open position and causes the control link to seat against the support column. The triangular disposition of the pivot points effects a minimum of trigger movement between the full open and full closed positions of the gripper jaws and effects a positive gripping action.